Washing machine



M. M. JACKSON April 17, 1945.

' WASHING MACHINE Filed July 29, 1942 v INVENTOR, MERLIN M. JACKSON.

ATTORNEK Patented Apr. 17, 1945 l 2,373,961 v fwAsmNc Marceline 's Merlin M. Jackson, San lose, CIiL .Application Amy 129, 19425ser1a1rman2sst .2 01; *1i-si.)

l The present invention relates to improvements 'washing machines, and has particular referlence te the `tylpe of washing machine .which is adapted-f or cooperation withinl conventional'ilfaundry tray. Washing machines of ithis'typeiusnally include an elongate dibiase `adapted to fbeznlaced-on A Ltop vof La laundry tray, means Afor .fasteningthe '-ba'se, lan agitator suspended from the Abase and extending into the Ytray, 2a wringer attachment `:and =arclutch mechanism or driving :the same, '1a motor and La @general l-drive mechanism whereby Lpower Emay selectively vvtbe applied #to :the ragitator 'or-toithe wringer. i

The principal objectlof the nresentinvention .is :to lprovide a washing machine '.o'f :this rtype :that :is exceedingly 's'irmole fin construction, well for yganized, and in which all ot-he moving-parts are `arranged to be subjected .to a=continuous .ilow of 'oil or lubricant 4while Vat :the .same atime :no @oil |`orlubricant.mayescape:intorthe 'laundry tray.

More particularly it is proposed lto aprox/ide :a supporting 'base `including a casing lhaving .-.a 'flatfbotto-m-.and aan unders'lung sectionzfo-raccorn- :modating the fmotor whereby the :motor shaft 'is :broughtdown to liefatonfthe bottom of rthe=cas ing for simplifying the .drive :mecha-mism; rand whereby the zunderslung, section `atthe same time may be used as .an abutment 'to Ecooperate :with othertmeansin clamping'the .abasenponzthe tray.

,It is further propnsedrtogarrangethefentire drive mechanism 'in `such .a manner ithat .all @the parts involved .lie @substantially in :the :same tp-lane or rather between two closely related planes iimine- ;diately ,lahm/.e .theifloor :of the :.casing, ewhereby the ,general arrangement :is tgreatly simplified,

T11-,ds further'.proposed:to arrange fall the workingLpartswthin :the casing in;such'..a mannerxthat v oil .is circulated ainth'e 'casing ,at :all ttimes 'when the :machine 'is in operation `so -as to `deliver .a :continuous flow of .oil to lall he '.*moving 'iparts while preventing mhe oil :from-reaching :the Jaunstray.

It cisaaziurther object of my inventionizto. .utilize vthtinarticular arrangement nf :the idrivermechae. tnism :for lubricating the :clutch :mechanism aby' fsuhj enti-ng the latterto :aicontinuous spray o'f oil iby `the n'ifpidmcitationof aworm usediinthe :drive mechanism.

.A :still iurtherrobj ect Vof 'the :invention vis to 'pro- .vide za :machine 'of the zcharacter described that may be easilyinstalled Without re- -aquiring vvany plumbing operations 'The A'doulrile -tray 5 in connection with which .this machine fis msedzis,,iaszamlesprovidedawithsaaswinging faucet spnut monntedinver the rcentrahpertitonasogasito be :adapted for discharge-into :either itraysection.L mt so happensthat a clutch mechanism :for

4-a `vwringer attac-ihxment,A :mounted .on zthe 'ibase lof the washing machine, also smust :be l:positioned over the said npartition fto:ali1ow r'of discharge of o the kwringer into leither tray, `and l-it isiusually `found that' this oluftoh mechanism, with aisuper- 'imposed ihousing, vinterferes^xJSI'rtln ithe ifa-ucet:spout v'and frequi-res'a certain amount of .,adxiustment to ,fbe l:made in the 'plumbing lheiore .the washing `macln'necanine iproperiymositioned.

@It lis proposed l.in the .present invention tto :pro- -vide ian arrangement whereby fthe :clutch mecha- :and "its fhousing :are set back -vzrom the :rear edge of the machine sufciently dartoileaveiamnle sp-ace or the Lswinging.snout I And .finallylrpropose to provide aow 1 'r1-gima- -fchine [of the 'type described :that is ieconomic 'in foperation, :easy `to manipulate :and attnactivein fappearance. Further objects andfadvantagesmf myzinvention twilllappeareasithegspecicationproceeds. Y :The preferred `form of I,my iinvention .is 4.illus ztra'ted zin ithe accompanying `-.drawing, in which: IEigure x1 `shews a fplan yiew.1of.;my machine, a

centaimportion xbeing broken away;

v'Figure 2 a front elevation tof ithefsame;

Figure 3 an end view of the machine;-y 'Figure 4, :a :section staken :along .eline Inail of EigureZ; v l Figure 5 ,aa;fragmentaryisectiomtakentalongdine f5-.-'5-.of'Figure.13/; .and .1,

.Figure i6, :a .vertical section maken :along line lNVhile I "have fshown only ithe preferred term of lmy invention, I '.wish dio have ii't understood that Various :changes `orrnnodications :may be `made within the .scope :of the Aclaians hereto latytached 'without departing from the :spirit iof ithe invention. l

Referring to :the drawing 1in MdetaiL;a conventional laundry tray isff-ragmentarily-shown at A, .as set up against the A:wall-iB,:and astbeingfdivided intotwo-secti-ons'fby arcentralipartitiomC., fAf'double `-faucet for-*hot fand .cold water iis indicated fat VD and has va swinging .spout E fdsposed l over the partition'C.

"My .washingimachine :comprises :in its principal features, a base `l, a Vmotor-La -clutchmechanism 3:for the wringenfasdriveepinion @for :the agitator, Vand a. :general fdrive lmechanism :whereby power maybe selectivelytransmittedztoftheclutcin mech- 1anism'orftcethesagfitatcmpincn. l

The base r-l eis ianfelongatedrectangularstruczturehavingiatdownwardlyxprojectngfflangeiwith a. at bottom edge 'l adapted to rest on two opposing walls of the laundry tray indicated at A.

, It includes in its principal features, a horizontal casing 8 having a flat bottom 9, and an underslung section IU for accommodating the motor 2. The bottom of the underslung section is preferably rounded in cross-section, and one edge of this section, indicated at Il, is adapted to abut against one of the walls of the tray when the base as a whole lies on the top thereof.

A screw. l2 is slidably mountedin two brackets I3 projecting downwardly from the base, and may be operated by means of a nut I4 to be moved outward so as to cause its head l5 to bear on the opposing wallor partition of the tray .for clampingly securing the base in place.

The underslung section l0 has suitable supporting brackets I6 for mounting `themotor therein, and should be suiiiciently deep to bring the motor shaft l1, which includes a nexibie coupling la,

slightly above the at bottom of the casing 8. The outer end of the shaft Il is supported in two brackets I9, and is provided with a worm 20 between the two brackets. i,

The worm 20 drives the worm gear 2l on a ver- Y tical shaft 22, which latter is supported at the bottom in a bearing 23, and at the top in a bearing 24 in thehousing 25 for the clutch Vmechanism 3, the housing forming part of a cover plate 25 for the casing held in position by a number of screws 21. The clutch mechanism which is intended for connection to a. Wringer, not shown, should be arranged centrally over-the tray partition C, to allow of discharge of the wringer into either tray section.

The worm gear 2l lies horizontally over the bottom of the casing, in the same plane with the worm 20, and an eccentric 28 is arranged immediately above the worm gear to rotate with the shaft 22. The clutch mechanism comprises two bevel gears 29 and 30 loose on the shaft and meshing with a third bevel gear 3l, and a clutch member 32 slidable on the shaft and adapted to be held in neutral position between the bevel gears for transmitting rotary motion in either direction to the third gear 3l which latter is connected to drive a wringer, not shown' in the drawing.

The pinion 4 is arranged in the end of the casing opposite the clutch mechanism and near the motor. 'Ihis pinion serves as a driving means for an agitator, which is supported, by means not shown, on a bushing 33 rising from the bottom of the casing inside of the pinion; `A suitable mechanism, indicated at 4l, is used for releasably connecting the pinion to the agitator.

the pinion 4, by operation of the handle 4l, and the clutch member 32 is engaged with one of the bevel gears 29, 30, by operation of the handle 38.

It will be noted that this arrangement allows all of the operating parts of the driving mechanism to lie substantially in the same plane, or at least be conned between two closely related horizontal planes immediately adjacent the bottom of the casing. This includes the shaft l1, the

worm 20, the worm gear 2|, the eccentric 28, the

connecting link 3B, the quadrant 34, and the pinion 4.

Assuming that there is a generous amount of oil present in the casing, sufficient for the Worm 20 to dip into, the latter, through its rapid rotation, will act as a pump and will' cause continuous circulation of the oil throughout the casing. It should be noted that the bushing 33 inside the pinion 4 is permanently fixed in place and does not permit of any leakage toward the agitator and and into the wash tray.

At the same time the worm 20, which rotates very rapidly, continuously picks up oil from the general reservoir and discharges the same upwardly toward the clutch mechanism, in the form of a line spray, which serves to keep the entire clutch mechanism well lubricated at all times. This will be readily understood by references to Figure 4. The oil slowly runs down again over the different parts of the clutch mechanism, and a considerable part thereof collects on the eccentric and from there flows over the connecting link 36 to the quadrant 34 and the pinion 4, thereby keeping these parts thoroughly lubricated. 'Ihe connecting rod andthe quadrant may be provided with suitable flanges 42 for guiding the oil along the lengths thereof. i

Attention is called to the fact that in the arrangement shown the worm 20 is mounted opposite the bevel gear 3l so that the latter does not interfere with the spraying operation land Vreceives the full benet thereof. Due to thear- A quadrant 34 is pivoted to the bottom of the I casing, as at 35, and is toothed to mesh with the pinion 4. The quadrant isactuated for rocking motion about its pivot by means of aconnecting rod 36 pivoted to the quadrant, aspat 31.'.,and having its other end connected tofjthe eccentricf. As the quadrant is'rocked backand forth, the agitator is turnedback and forthin the familiar manner employed in most .washing'machines lIn operation, for washing, the clutchmeinber 32 is moved to neutral position by means ofthe handle 38,` and the agitator isconn'ected r.tothe pinion 4 by operation of the handle 4l. -As' the motor is turned on. the worm on the: shaft` l T rotates the worm gear 2! and theeccentric `28;;and the latter imparts,` through-.the li'nk-Sfrocking motion to the quadrant 34, which thenceistr'ansmitted to the pinion and the agitator.`A ,I

For wringing, `the agitator is disconnectedffrom rangement described, the casing 8 of the base is set forward of the underslung section l0, while again the clutch mechanism with its housing 25 is positioned forwardly of the main drive shaft l1. This leaves ample space between the clutch housing 25 and the wall B to allow of free swinging movement of the spout E, withoutv requiring any alterations in the plumbing, which is very desirable because usually the salesman who installsthe machine is not a licensed plumber.

I claim: f

l. In a tray washing machine, a casing having a flat bottom and marginal flanges rising therefrom for holding oil, a cover plate resting on the flanges and having a clutch housing rising there- `from, a vertical shaft having ybearing in the i'lat `bottom and in the top of the housing, a worm gear xed on the shaft adjacent the bottom, an eccentric above the worm gear, a ciutch-assembly on the shaft immediately above the' eccentric comprising a pair of spaced bevel gears loose on the shaft, and a clutch member between the gears and slidable on the shaft for engagement with either of the bevel gears, a third bevel gear mounted in the housing on a horizontal axis so as to mesh with the pair of bevel gears, and a worm mounted horizontally in driving relation with the worm gear and operable tospray oil upon the clutch assembly.

2. In a tray washing machine, a casing having a ilat bottom and marginal flanges rising therefrom for holding oil, a cover plate resting on the and slidable on the shaft for engagement with either of the bevel gears, a third bevel gear mounted in the housing on a horizontal axis so as to mesh with the pair vof bevel gears, and a v i worm mounted horizontally in driving relation Vwith the Worm gear and ,operable to spray. oil upon the clutch assembly, the Worm being mount- `ed 'opposite the third bevel 'gear to provide a clear path for the sprayed oil.

MERLIN M. JACKSON. 

